As I, Kim, finished up my last day working for the Evangelical Covenant Church we sang together the classic hymn It Is Well With My Soul. My heart swelled as I cherished final moments with dear colleagues and sustained excitement for our up coming move to Australia. It was indeed, well with my soul.

Two weeks after that day we worshipped for the last time at our beloved church, Resurrection Covenant. Tears came easily that day as the congregation prayed for us and we said our goodbyes. As Pastor Dave began playing the offertory song the familiar tune of It Is Well filled the sanctuary, a welcome coincidence.

And then, two weeks after that our family arrived in Adelaide, Australia. We were exhausted and jet-lagged but oh so glad to be in our new home. As we took our first tour of our flat we came to, what would become, the boys’ bedroom. There on the door hung a small dry-erase board, left by the previous tenants, with the words “it is well with my soul.”

In the past year there have been times of ‘peace like a river’ as well as ‘sorrows like sea billows.’ The same can be said about the past 42 years, actually. And yet I am confident that God has been faithful every day of my life. Even today I am mindful of so many people waking up with sorrow. Even now we are called to be agents of Christ’s peace. Even so, it is well with my soul.